Tournament of Memories
by ayumu-in-blue
Summary: The American's are hosting an American Youth Tournament. Hikaru definetly wants to play in order to get revenge, but Akira... his motives are different. What exactly is going on anyway with him? Something's wrong. -This is not yaoi-
1. Fuseki

I had promised myself that I was only going to do one fan fiction per anime that I love and here I am breaking my own rule. Well, I suppose it doesn't help that I was an avid go fanatic before I watched Hikaru no Go, and thus it would only make it harder to get it off of my brain...  
  
Well, for those of you who read my first Hikaru no Go fan fiction, don't worry. That one was intentionally written to be mocking this one isn't. This story is done more in the same spirit that my Trading Pain [Fruits Basket] and A Rainbow of Many Colors [Gravitation] was/is done in. This fic takes place after the end of the manga. I hope you enjoy it and as always R R.  
  
Also I will be using go terms but I'll always put them in the A/N for you.  
  
Additional: don't worry Aki isn't an SI or a Sue. If you're seriously worried take a look at either my Trading Pain {Fruits Basket} or my A Rainbow of Many Colors {Gravitation}. They are both Original Character fan fictions and in both of them the OC's are well-rounded characters. Even if you only take a look at the reviews it should reassure you as to my capabilities towards creating my own characters. I have yet to create any Sues. I would also appreciate it if you don't jump the gun in labeling her a Sue. You actually do get to meet her in Chapter 3. If after you meet her and you still consider her a Sue well then by all means go a head and say so. However, I'm confident you won't believe that she is a Sue. To be honest her personality is so Un-Sue like it's almost scary.

* * *

Authors Note:  
  
Fuseki – the opening stage of the game. Komoku – 3-4 point  
  
Tournament of Memories

* * *

Fuseki

* * *

"There is going to be a Youth Go Tournament in America?"  
  
"No way!"  
  
"But do they even have enough players?"  
  
"Rumor has it there are three pretty good players that just turned pro over there. There supposed to all be pretty young. I heard the oldest of the three was 17."  
  
"I wonder how good they are? I mean come on its America, they can't be all that good."  
  
"They are probably doing this for the publicity you know.  
  
"I heard that they have already invited Touya Akira-san to play in the tournament... Do you think Shindo Hikaru-san will be in it again this year? We got pretty trampled in the last go tournament."  
  
"Well, it was against Korea that we lost, so it can't be completely unexpected. Still those two will definitely want to play. I hear that the same three from Korea will be participating in the tournament. They'll definitely want to go."  
  
"Do you think Japan will be sending the same players again?"  
  
"You kidding! Shindo-san and the others were all really upset about loosing to Korea I think they'll jump at the chance to play them again."  
  
Akira and Hikaru walked into the go salon. The players that had been gossiping only moments before fell silent as two of the players that they were talking about only moments before sat themselves down at their usual table and began to play.  
  
The air was heavy in the room as they watched the two young men begin their battles across the board from one another. The question rang heavily in their minds and hearts, what were these two going to do? Were they going to represent Japan again? Would they refuse? What was going to happen?  
  
"Hey!" Hikaru directed towards the elderly men watching them. "What's going on?"  
  
Akira placed his black stone down on the board. "Focus on your playing Shindo." He lightly chided him.  
  
"I know that already! Still, doesn't it feel dead in here? They're watching us and it's not even our game, it's us! It is so weird!"  
  
"It doesn't matter. If you can't play with an audience than how can you call yourself a pro?"  
  
"Who says I can't play with an audience! This is different though!" Hikaru sulked.  
  
"Is it?" Akira asked mockingly  
  
Hikaru glared at him, and slapped his stone down on the upper right komoku. Yes it was very different. Hikaru just couldn't force that uneasy feeling out of him. Still he tried. "So what do you think of those tournament games they are going to be having over in American this year."  
  
"I was already invited to join in them." Akira reminded him absently.  
  
"Are you going to play?" Hikaru prodded.  
  
The whole room went silent. They were all straining their ears to hear the answer.  
  
"There is a player that I would like to play on the American team so yes. I probably will."  
  
Someone Akira would like to play? What does that mean exactly?  
  
Hikaru was startled by the amount of gossiping that had just started around the room. Moments before there hadn't even been a whisper but now everyone was talking about it.  
  
"You were invited to weren't you?" Akira pointed out. "You're going to play right?"  
  
"Of course! No one insults Shusaku!"  
  
"You're still holding a grudge over that?" Akira prodded. Hikaru had always held a soft spot in his heart for Honninbo Shusaku though he still didn't know why. Though he believed that he would learn the truth whenever Hikaru decided to tell him. All that he knew was that it was personal for him.  
  
Hikaru merely nodded. He held a grudge, a very big one over what had been said, and he would do anything possible to prove that stupid idiot wrong. You can't learn anything from Shusaku? He's outdated. The very thought of that stupid Korean's taunts made Hikaru's blood boil with rage. Hikaru would destroy him, and every time he failed he would become stronger until he would be forced to admit his defeat. Sai was a genius. No one would be allowed to insult him or his playing. After all Sai's playing still lived in Hikaru's game.  
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
"Than we had better get to work. The real question is who is going to get the 3rd position. That slot is still undecided. They'll probably hold a tournament to see who gets it."  
  
"You think it will be the three of us again?"  
  
"Probably. I heard that Yashiro-san entered in for the competition for the placement next week. Ochii and Waya really don't stand a chance against him to be honest."  
  
"IS that a compliment coming from you Akira?"  
  
"No. Ochii and Waya are just even lower level players than him."  
  
"Huh. Are we going to be staying at your house before we go to America for training?"  
  
"Definitely. We are not going to loose again to Korea, and as for Aki I'm not going to let her beat me."  
  
Aki? Who is that? Hikaru wondered

* * *

Chapter 2 


	2. Flower Six

Thank you for reading this story, and I hope you are enjoying it. If I use any igo terms and forget to put them in an author's note please just let me know and I'll add it to the next chapter I post. Also if there are any rabid go players that know about the random history of the game that I throw in if I make any mistakes please let me know and I will double check the information and get it fixed.   
  
I'll be using random Japanese since they are in America for almost all of this fan fiction. I'm hoping it will give more of the language difference flavor to the story. I'll be sure to put any and all Japanese here under Author's Notes though.

* * *

Author's Notes

* * *

Flower-Six: is a one six-point shape in igo. It has a single vital point, in the center that can make or break the shape completely, depending on who plays on it first. The shape kind of looks like a flower too so it's really very pretty.  
  
Oy – a word used to gain attention kind of like 'hey'

* * *

Tournament of Memories

* * *

Chapter 2: Flower-Six

* * *

Hikaru was sound asleep when they landed in the L.A. airport.  
  
"Oy. Oy! Hikaru wake up already we're here!" Yashiro shook Hikaru's shoulders in an attempt to wake him up.  
  
"Sai, I just need a few more minutes, that's all. We can play again in a few hours, really."  
  
Sai?  
  
Akira watched from across the cabin of the airplane as Yashiro continued to try to awaken Hikaru. He was sure he had heard that name, right?  
  
He thought back to that time 2 years ago. The last time Sai was to appear on the Internet and how his own father, the Meijin, had fallen beneath the crushing weight of his magnificent go playing abilities. Hikaru was the only link there was to him. Sometimes Akira found himself wondering if Hikaru's undying love of Shusaku and his protective nature towards this 'Sai' were connected somehow. In a lot of ways Hikaru treated them both with the same level of care. Almost like they were a mentor or a father figure to him.  
  
Akira still didn't know the truth behind Hikaru's past, but he knew that one-day. Hikaru would tell him. Surely he would tell him. He had promised that one day he would. Still the questions kept churning in his mind and he wanted to know the answer to that question.  
  
Who exactly was Shindo Hikaru?  
  
"Will you wake up already?"  
  
"Huh? We're here?"  
  
"That's what I..."  
  
"We should go." Akira cut in. "We don't want to be late."  
  
"I'm coming." Hikaru yawned. He grabbed his carry on and followed the other two off of the plane.  
  
"I can't believe you fell asleep that fast."  
  
"It's not my fault. None of us got any sleep this week, and that plane ride was boring! It didn't help that the movie was lame! Besides we all need a little rest anyways. Mom was in shock over just how little sleep any of us got."  
  
"You're so lucky, with that mother of yours." Yashiro smiled at Hikaru.  
  
He could easily tell what a priceless gem she was. Tolerating the three of them running around her house for half the week. He remembered her making sure that the three of them ate regularly and how she was always being so supportive of all of their dreams and goals.  
  
Hikaru was very lucky.  
  
"Hey you guys!" Kurata-sensei was there waiting patiently for the three of them. I'm glad you guys made it okay. Any trouble on your end?"  
  
"Hikaru snors."  
  
"Yashiro-kun! I do not!"  
  
He couldn't help it. The expression on Hikaru's face was far too amusing, he found himself bursting out with laughter.  
  
Over the last year the two of them had become good friends and he had gotten the feeling that it had somehow soothed his father's intolerance for his sons chosen profession.  
  
"What do you mean by on our end? Has something happened?" Akira prodded. Kurata looked like he was hiding something.  
  
"Well..."  
  
The three of them stared waiting for an answer, something about his fidgeting posture had them worried. Something had to have happened for this to be going on.  
  
"You see well..."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Kurata didn't know how to tell them this.  
  
"Every year they hold this convention right around here. It's called Anime Expo and I'm afraid all the hotels are pretty much booked."  
  
"What!"  
  
"What about lodgings? Isn't there any place at all!"  
  
Kurata waved off the three tired boys with a non-chalant wave of his beefy hand. "We've already got it sorted out. So don't worry! It's fine."  
  
"But you just said?"  
  
"One of the American players lives about an hour away from the hotel. She's agreed to let us stay in her house for however long we need to."  
  
"Who... who is it?"  
  
"Turns out to be an old friend of you and your father's, Akira. Her name is Aki Pierce. She's really nice, and she lives with her mother but her house is really pretty big for this area of town. Her great-grandfather bought a large piece of land back before the prices went sky high around here and they made a killing off of it. They kept a small chunk for themselves, and they have a really nice home there.  
  
Kurata-sensei didn't even notice how pale Akira went at his words. They were going to be staying in Aki-chan's home during the tournament?

* * *

Chapter 3 : We finally get to meet Aki, and find out about Aki and Akira's past, and find out what kind of person can make Akira almost quiver in fear. 


	3. Aji

Don't worry Aki isn't an SI or a Sue. If you're seriously worried take a look at either my Trading Pain {Fruits Basket} or my A Rainbow of Many Colors {Gravitation}. They are both Original Character fanfictions and in both of them the OC's are well-rounded characters. Even if you only take a look at the reviews it should reassure you as to my capabilities towards creating my own characters.  
  
Anyway with the reassurances out of the way here you go you can finally meet Aki. I hope you like her or rather should I say approve of her, since at first your not supposed to like her anyway! = )

* * *

Author's Note:  
  
Aji: a condition that you'll see in a group of stones that allows potential for play.... Could be good, could be bad.

* * *

Chapter 3: Aji

* * *

Kurata-sensei didn't even notice how pale Akira went at his words, but Yashiro and Hikaru did. It was impossible not to notice. Both of his hands were clenched so tightly that his fingernails had bit deeply into his flesh and a few drops of blood could be seen falling on the carpet.  
  
"No."  
  
Akira's voice was quite but harsh. It had the same steel to it that it always did, but more than that it had a strong desperation in it as well. He met Kurata-sensei's eyes in a deadlock stare, before he coldly continued.  
  
"I won't stay under the same roof as that monster!"  
  
Monster?  
  
Hikaru had gotten the impression that Akira knew this 'Aki' person, but hearing him call her a monster... left him wondering what kind of person she was... but Kurata had said she was a good person. So who was right?  
  
"Monster huh? What a harsh word to use. Why don't you give it a rest, Akira? It's been ages. Last time we met you were what, 4 years old, and still hiding behind your daddy's hakama if I remember right. I hope you've improved at least a little at igo since then. " She mocked.  
  
This was Aki? Hikaru wondered. He took a long look at the half Japanese, half American girl. Her hair was an auburn color, and her eyes were a light brown. She had a smattering of freckles across her nose, which gave her a rather down to earth, look. Of course, the blue jeans and white tank top didn't help to change that image at all!  
  
"Well, you're staying at this monster's house during the tournament you better get used to the idea. It's not like I want to have a snot nosed brat like you running around my home but hey it's not like it's my choice either."  
  
"Not your choice?"  
  
All eyes went to Kurata-sensei who only proceeded to look embarrassed. "Well, I..."  
  
"It doesn't matter." Aki piped in. "What's done is done. Anyway..." She walked over to Hikaru and Yashiro. "Hi, I'm Aki Pierce, but just call me Aki. The whole chan, san thing we pretty much don't even bother with those kinds of formalities over here. It's nice to meet you."  
  
The two of them looked at her for a few moments. They were both dumbfounded by this enigma of a girl. They had never before scene anyone so upfront and blatantly honest. Yashiro found it more than a little intimidating. Hikaru though...  
  
"Hi, This is Yashiro, and I'm Shindo Hikaru. " He gave Aki a big warm smile. "I hope we won't be imposing to much on you. Thank you by the way. It would be completely awful if we didn't have a place to stay for the night."  
  
"No problem at all!" Aki smiled warmly. "The one thing mom and I definitely have is room. Though I think the place is more than a bit stuffy. Grandpa built our house like a traditional Japanese Home. You guys will probably be more comfortable there than I am!"  
  
"Wait, were not..." Akira tried to assurt himself again, but no one was listening.  
  
"Grandpa put in a traditional Japanese bath so you guys can relax when we get there. We better get your luggage first though."  
  
"Akira, Yashiro, hurry up, and don't just stand there. We're going!" Kurata hollered back them  
  
To say that he was depressed was putting it mildly. Akira knew that these next two weeks were going to be a living nightmare for him. He absolutely hated, loathed, and despised Aki.

* * *

He could still remember back when he was four, and his mother and father had invited one of their old friends from when back when they both were in school over for the summer. Just remembering that summer filled him with dread. It was the first time he had met Aki.  
  
She was a year older than him, and a complete and total tomboy. She was the kind of girl that would look for a snake and put it in his bed as a prank. All you could really do was hope that it wasn't a poisonous one and either get help or get rid of it yourself. To make matters even worse she would easily tear him to pieces at go. Looking back she was a year older than him at the time, and her mother had been a skilled go player as well. Skilled enough that she would play against his father evenly with only a one stone handicap. Aki wasn't that good, but it stood to reason that she had also been learning the game from her mother. Her strength at go was almost to be expected. It didn't help much that she was the type of person who once hit would hit right back and give a little bit more punishment than was really deserved.  
  
This trip was definetly going to be a disaster.

* * *

Chapter 4: 


	4. Tewari

Sorry that it took so long to get this updated. My computer has been down with a virus this past week so I haven't been able to write, update, or post anything. Gomen. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story. Please forgive any gramatical errors, I haven't had a chance to properly check it. Gomenosai.

* * *

Author's Note

Tewari: it is where you examine a position by eliminating an equal number of stones. It is done to help the player understand the efficiency of the moves. Basically, it is a type of analysis.

* * *

Chapter 4: Tewari 

"Are you coming?" Aki called over her shoulder at the two igo players just standing there.

Kurata-sensei and Hikaru were already on their way to get the luggage.

To Akira and Yashiro though her words felt almost like a taunts.

Yashiro took one look at Akira's face and he knew something was wrong. Akira was always the type of guy who was confident in his own abilities. His self-assurance always seemed to carry over into his every action, but right now…. Yashiro didn't know where that self-assurance had gone.

"Ano…"

"There isn't any choice."

Yashiro watched as Akira walked after them. He couldn't help but notice how tense he was. His motions were shifty and cautious, not at all like he would normally behave.

Yashiro was more than a little worried.

"Come on inside. You guys will have to be two to a room. It should be all right though. One room has bunk beds in it and the other has a single bed, but I have a futon around here… somewhere...

"I don't really worry about formalities so don't worry either."

She led them through the living room and up the stairs to their rooms.

"Whenever you guys are done unpacking just come on downstairs. Holly is running around here somewhere. She's staying in my room during the tournament. She's one of the other players, but she lives out in New York so… Anyway, it's these two rooms." She pointed to the two rooms right across from each other in the hallway.

"If you guys need anything I'm going to be downstairs. Oh yeah. We have a traditional bath outside."

"Outside?" Hikaru prodded.

"Yep. Grandpa built it himself. There is another one inside, but…" Aki shrugged it off. "What can I say, my grandpa was very traditional."

She didn't even give them a chance to respond, before she disappeared down the stairs.

"Well… " Hikaru stood facing one of the two doors reaching out his hand he turned the door handle. The others though were more than a bit surprised at the abrupt treatment they had been delivered. The only one not surprised by Aki's rude behavior was Akira and Hikaru. Akira though couldn't be surprised. Nothing about her would really surprise him anymore.

"Hey, Yashiro!" Hikaru prodded. "This room has bunk beds. Come on, we can share a room." Hikaru dumped his things on the floor and began to explore. "There's a igo board in here. Yashiro we can get some practice done. There is no way we are going to lose this year!"

Yashiro didn't feel the same enthusiasm. The air was too heavy around Akira, and oddly enough he was the most worried about him. This was definitely weird behavior for him.

"Come on Touya-kun, let's get unpacked."

"I'll take the futon, Kurata-san. You can have the bed."

"Thanks a lot Touya-kun!" He gave the young man a big smile of gratitude. "Well then it's time to get unpacked!"

Akira gave him a feeble smile, inside though he was more than a little worried. Was she going to pull some kind of sick jokes on them to destroy their moral? What exactly did she have up her sleeve anyway? He refused to believe it was just generosity. She was definitely up to something. Akira was very careful as he unpacked his things. His eyes were peeled for potential pranks.

"Aki! Aki, wake up!"

There was a loud banging sound coming from the back door.

"Get up!" Holly hissed. "There's a weird guy at your window, yelling for you. Should I call the police?"

Aki groggily opened her eyes. "What is it? I'm trying to sleep already."

"Aki! This is an emergency, and I don't have a key. Get up!"

That voice.

"Saitoh?"

What was he doing here?

"Aki?"

"It's all right, go back to bed."

Aki, wrapped a robe around her as she went over to the window. "Saitoh, what is it. Do you know what time it is?"

"Aki, get down here now! It's mother, they just took her away in an ambulance." Her blood ran cold. Mother? Ambulance? The two words didn't fully compute. This couldn't be right. No, this wasn't possible; this had to be a mistake.

"Saitoh…?"

"Get down here now! I know what hospital it is. I'm driving."

Aki's heart was still screaming that this had to be a mistake but it was finally beginning to compute. She tore away from the window and ran out into the hallway. There was something in the way, but it was too dark to tell what it was so she simply shoved it out of the way and ran at full speed down the stairs and outside. She was still in her pajamas when she climbed into her brother's car.

Akira though was still trying to pick himself off of the floor, where that stupid, moronic woman had shoved him.

* * *

Chapter 5


End file.
